Having great hair is no easy task. Being able to manipulate your natural curl pattern is so tough that many of us endured hot combs and relaxers before we got a chance to embrace our natural locs. Kim Etheredge (left) and Wendi Levy (right) understand this dilemma all too, having struggled with various concoction just to get their curly cues to do what they wanted (not the other way around).

Enter Mixed Chicks. A haircare line not just for those stemming from a immediate multiracial heritage, but also for the women who want to moisturize, soften and tackle their natural hair (instead of running to creamy crack). VV caught with the LA-based duo, who recently released a new sulfate-free shampoo, to chop it up about hair, the hurdles of mixed identity and today’s definition of beauty. –Niki McGloster